Wynoochee River above Black Creek near Montesano water level

Name: Wynoochee River above Black Creek near Montesano water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Wynoochee River, Washington, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

27.08ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:45 AM PDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 219 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 27.06 ft by Wednesday, October 28 at 05:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 08:06 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

High water at Wynoochee River above Black Creek near Montesano: the latest reading is 27.08 ft, above normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 5.00 ft, based on 33 years of readings, so the river stage is 22.08 ft above typical. It is 15.42 ft below the flood stage of 42.50 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 27.47 ft, a difference of −0.39 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 27.06 ft by Wednesday, October 28 at 05:00 PM. The 30-day range is 26.99 ft – 28.29 ft.

Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 5.00 ft22.08 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.85 ft – 28.62 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year: 27.47 ft−0.39 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 26.99 ft – 28.29 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 26.99 ft – 38.91 ft
Highest on record: 45.02 ftDecember 10, 1956
Forecast peak: 27.09 ftTuesday, October 20 at 11:00 AM

Paddling and fishing conditions

Above-normal flows push fish to the edges and make wading risky. Wait for the river to drop and clear.

For reference, flood stage is 42.50 ft.

What happens at each level

44.50 ft: the Wynoochee River will cause major flooding in the Wynoochee Valley...with deep and swift flood waters inundating farms...residences...and roads. Damage from erosion could be significant. Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Wynoochee River Basin.
43.50 ft: the Wynoochee River will flood much of the low area of the Wynoochee Valley with moderate flooding. Deep and swift flood waters will inundate farms...residential areas...and roads.
42.50 ft: the Wynoochee River will flood much of the low area of the Wynoochee Valley...with deep and swift flood waters inundating farms...residential areas...and roads.
39.50 ft: the Wynoochee River will locally spill over its banks into fields in the Wynoochee Valley. Flooding threatens residences and roads upper part of river.
27.08 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	45.02 ft	December 10, 1956
2	20.54 ft	December 10, 1956
3	20.21 ft	March 19, 1997
4	20.19 ft	January 19, 1968
5	20.12 ft	January 16, 1961
6	20.11 ft	January 7, 2009
7	20.06 ft	November 20, 1962
8	19.93 ft	December 15, 1999
9	19.57 ft	November 20, 1959
10	19.26 ft	February 21, 1961

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.04 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

20 Tue 65° 40° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 69° 45° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 59° 41° – Wind 10 mph

23 Fri 60° 38° – Wind 4 mph

24 Sat 61° 39° – Wind 8 mph

25 Sun 64° 43° – Wind 10 mph

26 Mon 65° 42° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:40 AM Sunset 06:20 PM Daylight 10 hr, 39 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Other gauges on the Wynoochee River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Wynoochee River near GrisdaleRiver gauge, Wynoochee River	1.26 ft	Very low	±0	26 mi
Wynoochee River above Save Creek near AberdeenRiver gauge, Wynoochee River	4.76 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	20 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Chehalis River near MontesanoRiver gauge, Chehalis River	6.35 ft	High	+1.11 ft	4.2 mi
Satsop River near SatsopRiver gauge, Satsop River	27.74 ft	High	−0.02 ft	8 mi
Chehalis River at PorterRiver gauge, Chehalis River	30.56 ft	High	−0.02 ft	17 mi
Humptulips River below Highway 101 near HumptulipsRiver gauge, Humptulips River	9.73 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	21 mi
Willapa River near WillapaRiver gauge, Willapa River	2.90 ft	Below flood stage	±0	25 mi
Big Creek near GrisdaleRiver gauge, Big Creek	1.66 ft	Low	±0	25 mi
South Fork Skokomish River near UnionRiver gauge, South Fork Skokomish River	−0.04 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	29 mi
Chehalis River near RochesterRiver gauge, Chehalis River	103.87 ft	Very low	−0.05 ft	29 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Wynoochee River above Black Creek near Montesano higher than last year?

No, it is 0.39 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 27.47 ft.

What is flood stage for the Wynoochee River above Black Creek near Montesano?

The official flood stage is 42.50 ft. The level is currently 15.42 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Wynoochee River above Black Creek near Montesano in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5.00 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.85 ft and 28.62 ft, based on 33 years of records.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Wynoochee River above Black Creek near Montesano today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:45 AM PDT, the water level was 27.08 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Wynoochee River above Black Creek near Montesano rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Wynoochee River above Black Creek near Montesano normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:12037400 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 47.01148, -123.65544 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	27.08 ft	2026-10-20 18:45	Provisional
Flow	219 cfs	2026-10-20 18:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Wynoochee River above Black Creek near Montesano (usgs:12037400). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/washington/wynoochee-river-above-black-creek-near-montesano

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer